Job Details

Australian Defence Force Academy, Graduate, Graduate (Reserve)

The role of Royal Australian Engineers (RAE) is to assist in maintaining the mobility of our own forces, deny freedom of movement to the enemy, (counter-mobility), and provide general engineering support. It encompasses construction (civil), geomatic and combat engineering.

Typical tasks of the RAE are as follows.

Mobility Tasks:

• The construction, repair and maintenance of roads, airfields and bridges;
• The construction and operation of bridging equipment and ferries;
• The breaching and clearing of obstacles (such as minefields);
• Unexploded bomb disposal and booby trap clearance; and
• The provision of terrain assessment advice.

Counter Mobility Tasks:

• The construction of field defences and obstacles, and
• The execution of demolitions.

General Engineering Tasks:

• The construction, repair and maintenance of facilities such as airfields, bridges, railways, ports, roads, buildings and bulk fuel installations;
• The provision of essential services such as water, electric power generation and reticulation, fire fighting, sewerage, drainage and waste disposal, cold storage and air conditioning, winning of local resources, (eg timber and gravel);
• Topographical and geomatic support;
• Large scale counter-surveillance and deception measures, (such as camouflage of buildings and bridges);
• Decontamination of areas attacked by nuclear, biological or chemical weapons; and
• Aid to the civil community.

As a combat support arm, engineers are required to be able to fight in the role of infantry. Engineers are also responsible to Navy and Air Force for beach information, the construction of airfields and sea terminal facilities, and the provision of construction materials.

The RAE has an Australian Regular Army (ARA) strength of about 400 officers and 1600 other ranks.